The present invention is directed to a homogenous, free flowing, liquid oleoresin composition comprising oleoresin black pepper and either cinnamyl alcohol or phenyl ethyl alcohol; a method of preparing the aforesaid compositions, and a method of adding oleoresin black pepper to a chewing gum pursuant to a composition of oleoresin black pepper and either cinnamyl alcohol or phenyl ethyl alcohol.
Oleoresin black pepper is an extract of pepper produced by extracting piperine, volatile oils and fixed oils from dried pepper pods by using a solvent, such as ethylene dichloride or acetone. After extraction, the solvent is removed, as by distillation, and there remains an extract of pepper known as oleoresin black pepper. The oleoresin black pepper is an unstable paste-like composition which, upon standing, separates into two phases. As a result of its instability, oleoresin black pepper is difficult to utilize in the manufacture of compositions that require its presence. By solubilizing the oleoresin black pepper into a stable, free-flowing, liquid oleoresin composition, the oleoresin black pepper becomes much easier to handle when used in various manufacturing processes. Unfortunately, oleoresin black pepper is very difficult to solubilize. The only solvent available for solubilizing oleoresin black pepper, prior to the discovery of the present invention, was benzyl alcohol. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,257.
The present disclosure is directed to the discovery of two more such agents, cinnamyl alcohol and phenyl ethyl alcohol. The use of cinnamyl alcohol as the solubilizing agent is particularly advantageous as, unlike benzyl alcohol and phenyl ethyl alcohol, cinnamyl alcohol not only avoids diluting the chewing gum's flavor, but it actually enhances the cinnamon flavor of the chewing gum.